Octavius

Now, Antony, everything is turning out as we had hoped. You said the enemy wouldn't come down into the valleys, but would stick to the hills and higher ground. That proves to be false. Their forces are nearby, and they intend to confront us at Philippi, entering into battle before we force it on them.

Antony

Ha, I know what they're thinking, and why they're doing this. They would rather be somewhere else, and yet by coming down into the valley with a show of bravery, they hope to make us think that they're courageous. But they are not.

Answering before we do demand of them.

Antony

Tut, I am in their bosoms, and I know

Wherefore they do it. They could be content

To visit other places, and come down

With fearful bravery, thinking by this face

To fasten in our thoughts that they have courage.

But 'tis not so.

[Enter a Messenger.]

Messenger

Prepare you, generals.

The enemy comes on in gallant show.

Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,

And something to be done immediately.

Antony

Octavius, lead your battle softly on,

Upon the left hand of the even field.

Octavius

[Enter a Messenger]

Messenger

Make preparations, generals. They enemy is making a show of approaching boldly. They have their blood-red battle standards flying and we must do something immediately.

Antony

Octavius, carefully lead your forces over to the left side of the level field.

Antony

Octavius

Historical Background

[Drum. Enter Brutus, Cassius, and their Army; Lucilius, Titinius, Messala, and others. The two opposing forces are outside of speaking range.]

Brutus

They stand and would have parley.

Cassius

Stand fast, Titinius. We must out and talk.

Octavius

Mark Antony, shall we give sign of battle?

Antony

No, Caesar, we will answer on their charge.

Discussion

Octavius Caesar

[Click to see note.]

Discussion

Octavius Caesar

Octavius was born as Gaius Octavius, but after being adopted by his great uncle Julius Caesar, his name was changed to Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. Reflecting his growing political ambitions, he's now going by the name Caesar. Here for the first time, Antony seems to acknowledge his preeminence by referring to him by his new name.

Brutus

They've halted and want to speak to us.

Cassius

Halt, Titinius. We must go out and talk to them.

Octavius

Mark Antony, should we signal our forces to attack?

Antony

No, Octavius Caesar, we'll wait and respond to their charge. Let's go forward, their generals want to talk with us.

Octavius

[To his officers] Don't move until the signal's given.

[The two pairs of generals move within speaking range]

Brutus

Will it be words before blows then, countrymen?

Octavius

Yes, but not because we prefer to talk rather than fight, like you do.

Make forth, the generals would have some words.

Octavius

[To his officers] Stir not until the signal.

[The two pairs of generals move within speaking range.]

Brutus

Words before blows; is it so, countrymen?

Octavius

Not that we love words better, as you do.

Brutus

Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius.

Wordplay

"bad strokes" and "good words"

[Click to see note.]

Wordplay

"bad strokes" and "good words"

Here, Antony puns off of Brutus' admonition that "good are better than bad strokes." His response has two meanings:

Up to the moment you stabbed Caesar in the heart ("bad strokes"), you were singing Caesar's praises ("good words").

Ironically, your stab wound in Caesar is like a mouth praising Caesar.

Antony

In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words.

Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart,

Crying 'Long live! Hail, Caesar!'

Cassius

Antony,

The posture of your blows are yet unknown;

But, for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,

Brutus

Good words are better than bad sword strikes, Octavius.

Antony

With your bad strikes, Brutus, you have provoked good words. I speak of the hole you stabbed in Caesar's heart, a hole that cannot help but cry out to every Roman, "Long live Caesar! Hail, Caesar!"

Cassius

Antony, we don't know if you're an effective fighter, but your talking is so sweet you must have stolen the honey of the legendary Hybla bees.

Antony

You don't think I took their stingers to use as well?

Brutus

Well you've certainly taken their buzzing to try to scare off your opponenets, since you lack the courage to attack them.

And leave them honeyless.

Antony

Not stingless too?

Brutus

O yes, and soundless too!

For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,

And very wisely threat before you sting.

Allusion

Hybla

[Click to see note.]

Allusion

Hybla

Hybla was—and still is—a district in Sicily famous for its honey bees. In fact, the word "Hyblean" is often used in literature in reference to honey. Cassius claims that Antony has stolen the bees’ honey, because his words are so sweet. Brutus disdainfully adds that Antony has stolen the bees' buzzing in order to scare off his opponents because he lacks the courage to attack them.

Antony

Performance

Lines 40-45

[Click to launch video.]

Villains! You did not so when your vile daggers

Hacked one another in the sides of Caesar.

Historical Context

"your vile daggers hacked one another"

Historical Context

"your vile daggers hacked one another"

At least one of the conspirators accidentally stabbed one of his fellow attackers during the assault on Caesar.

You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds,

And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet;

Antony

You villains! You gave no warning when your vile daggers hacked into each other inside of Caesar's body. You smiled like apes, fawned on him like pet dogs, and bowed to Caesar like slaves, kissing his feet; while that damned Casca snuck up like a mongrel dog from behind and stabbed Caesar in the neck. Oh you flatterers!

Cassius

You call us flatterers? Brutus, you only have yourself; Antony would not be alive to insult us today if I my advice had been taken.

Whilst damnèd Casca, like a cur, behind

Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers!

Cassius

Flatterers? Now, Brutus, thank yourself!

This tongue had not offended so today

If Cassius might have ruled.

Octavius

Performance

Lines 49-55

[Click to launch video.]

Come, come, the cause. If arguing make us sweat,

The proof of it will turn to redder drops.

Look, I draw a sword against conspirators.

When think you that the sword goes up again?

Never, till Caesar's three-and-thirty wounds

Be well avenged, or till another Caesar

Octavius

Come on, let's get to the issue at hand. If arguing is making us sweat, resolving the issue will surely result in bloody drops. Look, I am drawing my sword against you conspirators. When do you think that I'll lower this sword again? Never, until either Caesar's thirty-three stab wounds have been revenged, or until I'm killed and you traitors have the blood of another Caesar on your hands.

Brutus

Caesar, you can't be killed by a traitor, unless they came with you.

Octavius

I hope I won't be killed by a traitor; I wasn't born to die by the sword of Brutus.

Have added slaughter to the sword of traitors.

Brutus

Caesar, thou canst not die by traitors' hands,

Unless thou bring'st them with thee.

Octavius

So I hope.

I was not born to die on Brutus' sword.

Brutus

O, if thou wert the noblest of thy strain,

Young man, thou couldst not die more honorable.

Cassius

A peevish schoolboy, worthless of such honor,

Brutus

Oh, young man, if you were the noblest of all your family, you couldn't wish for a more honorable death.

Cassius

Octavius you're just an angry schoolboy unworthy of being killed by Brutus, joining forces with this partying socialite, Antony!

Antony

Still the same old Cassius.

Octavius

Come on, Antony. Let's go! Traitors, we'll defy you to your faces. If you dare to fight us today, come to the battlefield. If not, wait until you feel brave enough.

[Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and their army]

Join'd with a masquer and a reveller!

Antony

Old Cassius still!

Octavius

Come, Antony. Away!

Defiance, traitors — hurl we in your teeth.

If you dare fight today, come to the field;

If not, when you have stomachs.

[Exeunt Octavius, Antony, and their army.]

Cassius

Why, now blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark!

The storm is up, and all is on the hazard.

Brutus

Ho, Lucilius! Hark, a word with you.

Lucilius

Cassius

Why let the wind blow, the waves swell, and ship sail! There's a storm brewing and everything's at risk.

Brutus

Hey, Lucilius! Listen, I'd like a word with you.

Lucilius

[Standing forth]

My lord?

[Brutus and Lucilius converse apart]

Cassius

Messala.

Messala

[Standing forth]

What's that, general?

[Standing forth] My lord?

[Brutus and Lucilius converse apart.]

Cassius

Messala.

Messala

[Standing forth] What says my general?

Cassius

Messala,

This is my birthday, as this very day

Was Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala.

Be thou my witness that against my will —

As Pompey was — am I compelled to set

Upon one battle all our liberties.

Cassius

Messala, this is my birthday; I was born this very day. Give me your hand, Messala. You'll be my witness that I do not want to risk all of our freedoms on this one battle, but I compelled to, just as Pompey was in the civil war against Caesar. You know that I've always admired Epicurus and his philosophy, which denies any influence of the supernatural on human events. I've starting to wonder if their isn't some truth in omens. When we were coming here from Sardis, two eagles landed on our foremost battle flag, perched there and took food from the hands of our soldiers. They traveled with us all the way to Philippi.

Performance

Lines 78-93

[Click to launch video.]

You know that I held Epicurus strong,

Historical Background

Cassius' Epicureanism

[Click to launch video.]

And his opinion; now I change my mind,

And partly credit things that do presage.

Coming from Sardis, on our former ensign

Two mighty eagles fell — and there they perched,

Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands —

Who to Philippi here consorted us.

This morning are they fled away and gone,

And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kites

Fly o'er our heads and downward look on us

As we were sickly prey. Their shadows seem

A canopy most fatal, under which

(Cassius)

But this morning they had flown off, and ravens, crows, and other birds of prey have come to take their places. These fly over our heads and look down at us as though we were their struggling prey. The shadows from these birds seem to make a dark cloud, under which our army lies, prepared to die.

Messala

Don't believe that.

Cassius

I only half believe it. I'm full of vigor and resolved to meet all dangers resolutely.

Our army lies, ready to give up the ghost.

Messala

[Finishing his conversation] Believe not so.

Cassius

I but believe it partly,

For I am fresh of spirit and resolved

To meet all perils very constantly.

Brutus

Even so, Lucilius.

[Brutus rejoins Cassius.]

Cassius

Performance

Lines 94b-101

[Click to launch video.]

Now, most noble Brutus,

The gods today stand friendly, that we may,

Lovers, in peace lead on our days to age!

Brutus

It's just like that, Lucilius.

[Brutus rejoins Cassius]

Cassius

Now, most noble Brutus, may the gods favor us today so that we live on into old age! But because one can never predict human affairs, let's consider the worst that might happen. If we lose this battle, this will be the last time we speak to each other. What will you do if we lose?

But since the affairs of men rest still incertain,

Let's reason with the worst that may befall.

If we do lose this battle, then is this

The very last time we shall speak together.

What are you then determinèd to do?

Brutus

Performance

Lines 102-109a

[Click to launch video.]

Even by the rule of that philosophy

By which I did blame Cato for the death

Which he did give himself — I know not how,

Historical Context

"the death which he did give himself"

Historical Context

"the death which he did give himself"

Brutus considers himself a Stoic, and Stoics believed that one should calmly accept whatever comes in life — good or bad — so that’s what he would do. He even criticizes his uncle Cato for killing himself rather than allowing himself to be taken prisoner by Caesar during the civil war.

But I do find it cowardly and vile,

Brutus

For the same reasons I blamed Cato for killing himself, I find it cowardly and vile—although I don't know why—to commit suicide in fear of what might happen later in life. I will be patient and endure what the gods who rule us have in store for me.

Cassius

Then if we lose this battle, you're content to be led through the streets of Rome as a captive in their triumphal procession?

For fear of what might fall, so to prevent

The time of life — arming myself with patience

To stay the providence of some high powers

That govern us below.

Cassius

Then, if we lose this battle,

You are contented to be led in triumph

Thorough the streets of Rome?

Brutus

Performance

Lines 112-120

[Click to launch video.]

No, Cassius, no. Think not, thou noble Roman,

That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome.

He bears too great a mind. But this same day

Discussion

Brutus' Stoicism

Discussion

Brutus' Stoicism

In response to Cassius’ question of what he would do if they lose the battle, Brutus, who imagines himself a strict adherent to the Stoic philosophy, initially gave the expected Stoic answer: he would patiently accept whatever happens in life.

But when faced with the image of his being led in chains behind Antony’s chariot through the streets of Rome, he abandons his Stoic principles, acknowledging that such a humiliation would be intolerable. Today will end in either victory or his death.

Must end that work the Ides of March begun,

Brutus

No, Cassius, I am not. Noble Roman, don't think that I will ever be led in chains through the streets of Rome. I have too great a character for that. But today will end what the 15th of March began, and I don't know whether we'll ever meet again or not. Therefore let's say an everlasting farewell. Farewell forever and forever, Cassius! If we do meet again, we'll smile thinking about this. If not, then we have parted well.

And whether we shall meet again I know not.

Therefore our everlasting farewell take.

For ever and for ever farewell, Cassius!

If we do meet again, why, we shall smile.

If not, why then this parting was well made.

Cassius

For ever and for ever farewell, Brutus!

If we do meet again we'll smile indeed;

If not, 'tis true this parting was well made.

Brutus

Cassius

Farewell forever and forever, Brutus! If we do meet again we'll definitely smile, and if not then it's true these were goodbyes well said.

Brutus

Why then, lead on. Oh, if only men could know the outcome of a day's endeavor before it's begun! But it's enough to know that the day will end, and then the end will be known. Come on, let's go!